Quyen Tran is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who prioritizes story above all else. Tran's latest feature, PALM SPRINGS, starring Andy Samberg and J.K. Simmons, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and broke the record for highest selling Sundance film.  The picture was released by HULU where it remains their top-streaming title. Prior to that, Tran shot the pilot for the Peabody Award winning Netflix drama UNBELIEVABLE with director Lisa Cholodenko and starring Kaitlyn Dever, Toni Collette and Merritt Weaver. She splits her time between features and television, having shot multiple pilots and series for HBO, Netflix and FX including: CAMPING, HERE AND NOW and the upcoming FX/HULU series A TEACHER. Tran is currently prepping a new Netflix limited series with John Wells, MAID, in Victoria, B.C.

In the documentary world, Tran is a frequent collaborator of director Grace Lee, whose film AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS, won the distinguished Peabody Award. Last year Tran traveled to a refugee camp in Kenya to document a story about girls' education for the nonprofit organization GIRL RISING. She is passionate about mentoring, frequently appearing as a guest speaker for universities and high schools between projects.  She is an official mentor for Project Involve in addition to having informal mentees.

Beginning her career as a still photographer, Tran gained acclaim for her stunning images of the heartbreaking destruction of 9/11. With this background, she strives for emotive cinematography, capturing the humanity and truth of each moment, regardless of the subject matter. She has shot films throughout the United States and all over the world, including New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Canada, Thailand, Japan, China, Russia, Italy and Vietnam.

Tran was featured in American Cinematographer as an ASC Rising Star in 2017, and was recently named in Variety's 10 DPs to Watch 2019.  She also was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater UCLA earlier this June.  

 

When she isn’t on set, Tran is an avid gardener, baker, cook and mother.  She is highly involved in charitable work through her ongoing “DOUGH-rectors Of Photography” fundraiser for the LA FOOD BANK which has helped to generate over 100,000 meals.